


Paying your Debts

by NerdofSpades



Series: Open Doors [8]
Category: Assassination Classroom, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Bullying, Gen, Preschoolers, Unethical quirk use, being the responsible adult in the room
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-08
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2020-08-12 23:49:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20164666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NerdofSpades/pseuds/NerdofSpades
Summary: Class 3-E did a dumb, and now they all get to pay for it. In the process, Izuku comes across a familiar sight.





	Paying your Debts

**Author's Note:**

> .... Sup.  
So, there was no good place to put this in really any of the stories, but Izuku has switched to his first name with the class. Well, most of the class. After what happened on Okinawa, Izuku kinda decided they deserved the right to use his first name.

Izuku felt his phone buzz a distinctive pattern in his pocket and paused in his work. He thought for a second, then turned to All Might, who was loading up the bed of the truck for another run to the recycling center. He wasn’t paying attention to Izuku. Not yet.

Izuku pulled out his phone and checked the message.

Ritsu: _“Korosensei would like to know your location.”_

Izuku frowned at the message. _“Why?”_ he sent back.

“Hey, Yagi-san!” he called to his mentor.

“Ah, yes, Midoriya-shounen? What do you need?” All Might asked as he stopped loading the truck.

Izuku shook his head. “Something came up with my class. I don’t know what it is yet, but I might need to leave early today. I might not be here when you get back.”

All Might nodded slowly. “Well, alright then. Make sure to text me as soon as you know.”

Izuku nodded and waved goodbye as All Might drove off. He checked his phone again.

Ritsu: _“The class has gotten into trouble and will be receiving communal punishment.”_

Well. This was bad.  
Izuku: _"__You can give him my location. Thanks for telling me, Ritsu-san.”_

She sent a little smiley face back, and less than a second later, Korosensei was there next to Izuku.

Korosensei had a tentacle raised and his mouth open to start his speech, when he suddenly stopped and looked around. “Midoriya-kun,” he spoke, “why are you in a dump?”

“Because it’s not supposed to be a dump,” Izuku answered quickly. “It’s supposed to be a beach. I’ve been cleaning it up. Don’t worry, no one else is here right now. You were going to say something about the class being in trouble, Sensei?”

Korosensei looked down at him. “Yes, I was. Do you remember what Karasuma-sensei told you when he started teaching you free running?”

Izuku nodded. “He told us that it was dangerous and to never use it outside of the mountain we train on.” Izuku sighed, hanging his head. “Some of the class used it in town, didn’t they?”

“Yes,” Korosensei said. “They hurt a civilian in the process. I have worked out a suitable punishment and had decided that it was a lesson your entire class could do to learn, as we have been neglecting that part of their studies.”

“Had?” Izuku asked.

“Yes, I am now reconsidering whether or not you need it.”

Izuku blinked at him. “Um… whatever you decide, sensei. I just don’t want it to interfere with my training too much.”

Korosensei nodded. “We’ll work out a slightly different arrangement for you, but you will still be required to help out your classmates.” He hummed to himself. “Come, we need to speak with Matsukata-san.”

Izuku nodded and followed his teacher, shooting off a quick text to Yagi-san saying he had to leave. “Uh, Korosensei?” he said slowly.

“Yes, Midoriya-kun?”

“Matsukata-san is the person they hurt, right?”

“Yes, he is.”

“I assume the Ministry of Defense is working to figure out Matsukata-san’s medical bills… but I might know someone who would be willing to help out with that. Uh, I can’t really promise anything, because I haven’t asked yet and I wouldn’t be able to actually explain much about why I’m asking for the money, but-”

“I understand, Midoriya-kun. We’ll talk about that with Karasuma-sensei after we talk to Matsukata-san.”

“Yes, Sensei.”

* * *

The hospital room Korosensei lead him to was filled to the brim with flowers and was inhabited by an old man with broken leg. A leg Izuku’s classmates broke because they used their free running in an uncontrolled area.

“What is it now!?” the old man, Matsukata-san, barked as they entered the room.

“Matsukata-san,” Korosensei greeted with a bow, which Izuku quickly copied, “I know we agreed that my entire class would run your school for you while you were sick, but there may be an exception.”

Matsukata-san turned his glare at Izuku. “Well, shounen? Why do you think you should be exempt from your class’s punishment?”

“This is Midoriya Izuku,” Korosensei said before Izuku could answer, “and the exemption is my idea, not his. Midoriya-kun, if you would please explain to Matsukata-san what you were doing when I came to talk to you and why?”

Izuku gulped, but stepped forwards. If he’d had any doubts about Karasuma-sensei’s claim that Korosensei always understood his rambling mutters, it had died with that statement. “I was cleaning Dagobah municipal beach,” he said. “I-I use it for strength conditioning, as well as the added bonus of community service.”

“Strength conditioning?” Matsukata-san interrupted.

“Er, yes,” Izuku nodded. “I’m training for the entrance exams. I want to be a hero.”

Matsukata-san raised his eyebrows. “Has this octopus told you what your class’s punishment is to be?” he asked.

Izuku shook his head. “He mentioned taking over your school when we came in, but I don’t know anything else.”

Matsukata-san nodded slowly. “You said you were aiming for a hero school? Where are you applying?”

“Um, UA, sir. And a few other places.”

“You must be busy.”

“Yes, sir. I’m training or studying almost every night of the week.”

Matsukata-san nodded slowly. “And you made some of that training cleaning up an illegal dump.”

“Yes, sir.”

Matsukata-san turned his attention back to Korosensei. “I’m willing to let him off a little easier,” he said. “How about, he works the normal school hours, leaving his extracurriculars unaffected.”

Korosensei nodded. “That is very kind of you Matsukata-san.”

“I would let you off the hook entirely,” Matsukata-san said to Izuku, “but I think your boneheaded classmates are going to need all the help they can get. Consider it another form of training.”

Izuku nodded slowly. “What exactly am I going to be doing?”

* * *

Izuku honestly wasn’t super upset about their “punishment.” Sure, he was worried about how they were supposed to pass their midterms if they weren’t studying for the next two weeks, and the kids could be a little loud and rambunctious, but they were kids!

At least the class was mostly willing to handle things and there didn’t seem to be any resentment towards the students responsible.

Even if some of them were struggling and this place could use a lot of work to even make it safe.

“Hey, Izuku-kun, remind me why you get to leave early again,” Yada-san asked him. It had to be the fifth time someone had asked him today.

Izuku sighed. “I told you, I’m not allowed to answer that. Korosensei wants you guys to learn a lesson from this and both he and Karasuma-sensei think that telling you would make it too obvious what they want to hear from you.”

A groan went up from the nearby classmates. “Seriously, Izu-”

“No,” Izuku interrupted Terasaka. “They get to call me Izuku. You will call me Midoriya. And no, I can’t tell you anything.”

* * *

Izuku groaned on the mats. “Up,” Sentoki-sensei said. “Do it again.”

Izuku groaned louder and pushed himself back up, ignoring the mild bruises beginning to form. He stood ready, watching his opponent. His much more experienced opponent that had been wiping the floors with him for the last… Izuku had lost count of how many rounds they had gone now.

Aizawa-san only gave him a moment to ready himself before moving forward again. His movements were fast and fluid. Izuku only managed to block or dodge the first few strikes before Aizawa-san broke through his defenses. Izuku, on impulse, latched onto Aizawa-san’s arm and refused to let go as he tumbled down.

Aizawa-san, who hadn’t been expecting the desperate ploy, tumbled down with him.

Izuku brought his knee up, aiming for Aizawa-san’s gut and tried to twist and push Aizawa-san to the side to roll on top of him. Instead, Aizawa-san merely twisted slightly and leveraged his own weight against Izuku, pinning him firmly to the mat.

Sentoki-sensei sighed. “You are small and light, Midoriya-kun. Never try to grapple your opponent. Again.”

“No,” Aizawa-san said, standing up. “That’s enough for now.”

“I said again, Aizawa.”

“He’s exhausted. He won’t get better if you keep pushing him. He’s here to learn and grow. That move was desperate and came from someone that has lost far too much.”

“Right now, he’s here to learn humility.”

Izuku sat up and wiped some seat off his face. “Karasuma-sensei told you? I didn’t have anything to do with that.”

“You plan on being a hero, don’t you, Midoriya-kun?” Sentoki-sensei asked.

“Yes?”

“Then you are going to be a community leader. What your colleagues do will always reflect on you.”

“What happened?” Aizawa-san asked as he offered Izuku a water bottle.

“Take a break!” Sentoki-sensei called over her shoulder at the rest of the class. The other students immediately stopped their drills and scattered for water around the dojo. More than a few sent Izuku a pitying look.

Izuku accepted the water bottle. “Some of my classmates did something reckless,” he answered, “and people got hurt in the process.” He pulled a face. “And I’m already being held responsible for their actions, Sentoki-sensei.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Are you know? Cause from what I heard, you got off light.”

“That’s because I was already doing community work while they were being menaces. And you call not being able to study at all leading up to midterms light?”

“He’s got a point,” Aizawa-san said, a small smile starting to curl the edge of his lips. “This isn’t productive.”

Sentoki-sensei sighed again. “Alright. Yeah, I’ve put you through more than enough. Go join the rest of the class.”

Izuku perked up and scrambled to his feet. “Thank you, sensei. Thank you, Aizawa-san.”

* * *

A screech broke the air and startled everyone around. Izuku shared a glance with Kayano-san before following his ears to the source.

Three boys were near the edge of the property. One was cowering on the ground, crying, while the two others stood over him. Okosama-chan, Zatsuon-chan, and Osore-chan. If he remembered correctly.

“What’s going on here,” he asked as though he couldn’t recognize the scene from his own childhood.

Okosama-chan glanced at the other boys briefly before scrambling to his feet and barreling into Izuku’s legs. Izuku stumbled slightly but steadied himself. He bent down and wrapped Okosama-chan in his arms. He raised an eyebrow at Zatsuon-chan and Osore-chan. “Well?” he pressed.

The boys shared a nervous look. “We weren’t doing anything,” Osore-chan muttered.

Izuku kept waiting, rubbing Okosama-chan’s back in the process.

“We were just playing around,” Zatsuon-chan defended. “It’s not my fault Okosama-chan is a baby.”

Izuku sighed. “Let’s go inside and talk about this,” he said, pulling Okosama-chan up onto his hip as he stood. “Come on.” He jerked his head and waited for the boys to start walking in front of him.

While they walked Okosama-chan calmed down some and his tears slowed to a stop, but his limbs had a fine tremor that Izuku could feel as the boy kept his head buried in Izuku’s chest. When they got inside, Izuku took a quick glance around. “Hogosha-san,” he called out, getting the older woman’s attention, “do you have a private place I could talk to these boys?”

Hogosha-san hesitated. “Um, yes. There’s an office down the hallway on the left.”

When they arrived, Izuku pointed to a spot next to the door. “Osore-chan, Zatsuon-chan, you will wait here. When I’m done talking with Okosama-chan, I will talk to you.”

Osore-chan’s face twisted into a frustrated frown. “But-”

“No,” Izuku cut him off. “You will wait here, and I will get you later.”

The boys nodded and sat next to the wall. Izuku went in and closed the door behind them. “Okosama-chan?” he said gently. “Are you alright?”

The tremors hadn’t stopped yet, but they had seemed to lesson. Okosama-chan shook his head.

“Can you tell me what happened?”

Okosama-chan thought for a moment, then nodded, starting to uncurl himself slowly. Izuku gently set him down on one of the chairs and kneeled in front of him, so Okosama-chan was looking down at him. He sniffled softly and wiped at the tear tracks on his face.

“It was stupid,” Okosama-chan said quietly.

“I’m sure it’s not stupid,” Izuku responded.

“Yes, it was.”

“How about you tell me what happened, and I’ll tell you if it’s stupid.”

Okosama-chan huffed. “You’ll just say it wasn’t stupid no matter what I say.”

Izuku shrugged. “Why don’t you talk to me and we’ll find out.”

“Fine. We were just playing around. That’s all. I wanted to show them something cool I’d found out there yesterday, and while I was looking Zatsuon-chan used his quirk. It scared me.”

Izuku raised an eyebrow. “Oh? And why did he do that?”

“His quirk let’s him make loud noises, and he knows I’m scared of thunder. He… he likes scaring people,” Okosama-chan was staring resolutely at his feet, ignoring Izuku.

“That sounds mean,” Izuku prodded.

Okosama-chan didn’t respond.

“Do you know what I’m gonna say next?” Izuku asked him.

“That it’s not stupid,” Okosama-chan grumbled.

Izuku smiled at him. “That’s right. Do you know why?”

Okosama-chan shook his head.

“Because they hurt you, and you have every right to be upset at people that hurt you.”

Okosama-chan looked up at Izuku for the first time since he started telling his story. “But they didn’t even touch me.”

“Maybe not,” Izuku conceded, “but you don’t need to touch someone to hurt them. They hurt you here,” he said as he tapped Okosama-chan’s forehead, “and here.” He tapped the center of Okosama-chan’s chest, right above his heart.

Okosama-chan looked confused.

Izuku thought for a moment. How could he explain this. “When Zatsuon-chan scared you, you were afraid. But not just a little afraid, like when someone jumps out around a corner or tells a scary story, right? It was more than that. Judging by how you were when I found you, you were probably afraid of being hurt, and, for a moment, you were afraid of him, right?”

Okosama-chan nodded but looked down again.

“Hey, no, look at me.” Izuku gently pushed Okosama-chan’s chin up. “You have nothing to be ashamed of. You did nothing wrong. Zatsuon-chan made you scared. Really, really scared. And then he laughed about it. That hurts people. Do you understand?”

“Kinda?”

Izuku nodded. “That’ll have to be good enough for now. Just know, when you feel like that, it means you’ve been hurt somehow, and whoever did it should do the same thing they would if they’d hurt you physically.”

Okosama-chan nodded. “Are you going to punish them?”

Izuku shook his head. “I can’t do that. It’s not my place. But, as an adult, I need to tell them what they did was wrong. I will be telling Hogosha-san about this as well.”

Okosama-chan nodded.

“Alright,” Izuku said, standing up and offering his hand to Okosama-chan, “I should get to talking to those boys. You can go if you want. Or you can wait. It’s up to you.”

Okosama-chan grabbed his hand and slid off the chair, following him to the door. Just as promised, the two boys were still sitting next to the wall waiting. Okosama-chan left with a small wave to Izuku, and Zatsuon-chan and Osore-chan stepped quietly inside.

Once settled in the office, Izuku began to talk. “Okosama-chan said you used Zatsuon-chan’s quirk to scare him?” he prompted.

Osore-chan nodded. “Yeah. It was just a little prank. He should have been able to handle it.”

Izuku looked at Zatsuon-chan. “We were just messing around. Everything would be fine if he weren’t such a cry baby.”

Izuku sighed. “There are two things wrong with this situation. Let’s start with the simple one. You knew he is afraid of thunder, right?”

The boys nodded.

“Do you have anything you’re afraid of?” Izuku asked.

“Um, spiders,” Zatsuon-chan answered.

“And would you like it if someone put a big nasty spider on your arm, then laughed at you?”

“No,” both boys answered.

“Do you understand why scaring Okosama-chan like that was wrong?”

The boys nodded again, shame crossing their faces.

“Good, at least that was easy to get through to you.”

“Um, you said there were two things,” Osore-chan asked.

Izuku nodded. “_Never_ use your quirk on someone like that without their permission. Using your quirk on someone is no different than touching them. If they tell you to stop, you stop. If you know they don’t like something, you don’t do it to them. If they don’t know what you’re going to do, you ask them if you can. Do you understand me?”

Osore-chan looked pale, but Zatsuon-chan just looked frustrated. “What about villains?” he asked.

Izuku raised his eyebrow. “We’re talking about your classmates,” he said, “but I’ll answer. Let’s say there’s a villain. You should never use your quirk in a life-threatening situation unless you are trained to, like a hero would be, or there is no other option. Think hard about what you do. Villains can be unpredictable. While you made Okosama-chan cry, a villain might choose to hurt you instead.”

Zatsuon-chan frowned but accepted the answer.

Izuku let the boys sit for a second. “Now, don’t get me wrong,” he knelt down in front of Zatsuon-chan. “You have a wonderful quirk, and it’s nothing you should be ashamed of or afraid of. It’s a part of you just as much as your hand is. You just need to be a bit more careful with how you use it. You’re young, and you’re learning. You can make mistakes, heck, people expect you to make mistakes, just make sure you learn from them.”

The boys nodded again.

“Alright, that covers it, I think. Get going. Go play.”

The boys scrambled up and scurried off.

Izuku just hoped they actually listened to him.

**Author's Note:**

> Quick fun fact. What Izuku (and Okosama-chan) doesn't know is that Osore-chan was also using his quirk in that mess, and he's definitely in a worse position than Zatsuon-chan as far as shitty quirk use. (His quirk allows him to highten fear responses;) )


End file.
